Lonely Python

11/15/2001

Python programmers can sometimes feel a bit lonely. While growing
in numbers, we aren't everywhere yet. The loneliness sometimes drove,
Seattle's Mike Orr and Adam Feuer South to Portland, where they would
attend the Portland Python interest group. It was a long way to drive
for company, but it was good to meet other Python programmers. When
programmer Steve Howell recently made the same drive, the PorPiggies
pointed him back to Mike and Adam. Maybe three is critical mass, or
maybe it was just good timing, but the three together founded a
Seattle Python interest group, SeaPig.

Adam says "I go [to interest groups] to find out what other people are
doing and ask questions. You can read about Python on the net, but
it's hard to ask questions unless you're there in person." PorPig
meetings tend towards a lecture style in a classroom like setting.
That fits with some of PorPigs high profile members, including Robin
Dunn of wxWindows fame, and Amos Latteier of Zope fame, but Adam has a
different style in mind, "We are aiming for a conversation oriented
group."

SeaPig already has a conversation oriented web page, a simple Wiki.
That's another Portland connection. Steve says he was inspired by
the original Portland Pattern
Repository Wiki created by Ward Cunningham. Wikis are user
created and edited web pages. They are also a kind of cultural
movement with their own philosophy, but that's another story. SeaPig
uses their wiki to vote on meeting days, times, and subjects, as well
as providing a place for members to present information about
themselves, their code, and their ideas.

SeaPig isn't the only Pig in a Wiki. One of the most famous python
user groups Zope Python User Group,
ZPug, uses a Wiki. Located in Washington DC ZPUG has hosted several
well known speakers, including Guido van Rossum and Jim Fulton, the
father of Zope. You can find descriptions of their first four
meetings on the Wiki.

Python.org maintains a list of Python user
groups and their upcoming events. If you are feeling lonely and
find there isn't a PIG in your area, consider a road trip or, like Steve, Adam, and Mike, consider starting your own group.
You might find that along with friends, fame, and fortune, there are
other benefits, like O'Reilly's User
Group support: established user groups qualify for O'Reilly
discounts. Okay, that might not draw people like free beer, but
getting together with other Python developers sure beats being
lonely. Go out and find some!